Sean Ardagh 'loved across the house on all sides', funeral told

Michael Martin said the late TD Sean Ardagh "was loved across the house on all sides".

The Fianna Fail leader and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern were among hundreds of mourners who thronged St Jude's Church in south Dublin for Mr Ardagh's funeral mass.

Around 700 people joined Mr Ardagh's heartbroken family in bidding a final farewell to the former Fianna Fail TD for Crumlin, south Dublin, who passed away on Tuesday following a battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 68.

Among the chief mourners was his beloved wife Maire, their children, Rory, Charlie and Catherine, his siblings Pat, Fintan and Jackie and extended family.

Delivering the eulogy, his daughter Senator Catherine Ardagh, who was recently elected as Fianna Fail Seanad leader, beamed with pride as she spoke of her father's kindness, his encouragement and dedication to his family as well as his deep loyalty.

"He loved nothing more than the company of friends and family," she said.

She described him as a "dedicated public servant" whose commitment to serving the Irish people as a politician was a great inspiration to her, she said.

Fortunate

"I've been fortunate being able to follow in my Dad's footsteps," she said. "Dad, we're going to miss you dearly."

Prior to his interment at Burgage cemetery in Blessington, a large group of current and former politicians gathered outside the church to offer their condolences.

Michael Martin described him as "a thorough gentleman in the first instance".

"He was a great parliamentarian who chaired Oireachtas committees with great fairness and efficiency," he said.